Starting a US company as a non-resident

You don't need a citizenship, an SSN, or a US address

This is the single biggest source of confusion, so we'll be blunt: none of the things people assume are required actually are. US law does not require an owner of an LLC or a C-corporation to be a US citizen, a green-card holder, or a US resident. There is no visa requirement to own a company, and owning one does not, by itself, grant you any right to live or work in the US.

You also do not need a Social Security Number (SSN) to form a company or to get its federal tax ID, and you do not need your own US home address. A registered agent supplies the required in-state legal address. That is separate from a business or mailing address: your registered agent is not your business address, so for filings and banking many non-resident founders add a US business/mailing address (a virtual mailbox) — see our guide on the three address types.

What you do need is a passport, a company structure that fits your goals, a registered agent in your formation state, and a federal tax ID (EIN). We handle the filings; you stay wherever you are.

• No US citizenship, residency, green card, or visa required to own the company
• No SSN required to form or to obtain your EIN
• No US home address of your own — the registered agent supplies the in-state address
• A valid passport and identity documents are enough to get started

Getting an EIN without an SSN

Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your company's federal tax ID. You need it to open a US bank account, connect a payment processor like Stripe, hire, and file taxes. US residents with an SSN can often get one online in minutes — but that online route is closed if you don't have an SSN or ITIN.

For non-residents, the IRS accepts a paper Form SS-4, submitted by fax or mail. We prepare and file the SS-4 for you as your third-party designee, so you don't have to call the IRS or navigate the process yourself. When it's approved you receive your official EIN confirmation letter (the CP 575).

Timing is the main trade-off: with an SSN an EIN can arrive in days, while the non-resident paper route typically takes a few weeks depending on IRS processing. We set that expectation up front and keep the application moving.

• No SSN or ITIN needed — we file Form SS-4 on your behalf
• Required for US banking, Stripe, hiring, and tax filing
• Typical timeline of a few weeks for the non-resident paper route
• You receive the official IRS EIN confirmation letter (CP 575)

ITIN — only if you personally need to file US taxes

An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a personal tax ID for individuals who have a US tax obligation but aren't eligible for an SSN. The key point: an ITIN is about you as a person, not about your company.

You do not need an ITIN to form a US company, and you do not need one to get your company's EIN — those are two of the most common myths we correct. You would only need an ITIN if you personally have to file a US tax return or want to claim a US tax-treaty benefit, which many non-resident owners never do.

If it turns out you do need one, we prepare your Form W-7 and guide you through the identity-documentation requirements that trip most people up. But we won't sell you one you don't need.

Opening a US business bank account remotely

You can open a US business bank account without ever visiting the US. Fintech banks such as Mercury, Wise, and Relay support fully-online applications for many non-US founders, using your formation documents, EIN confirmation, and passport rather than an in-person branch visit.

The main reasons applications get rejected are avoidable: mismatched or incomplete paperwork, a missing EIN letter, or an unclear business description. We make sure your documents line up before you apply and point you to the option that best fits your business.

One honest caveat: banks and fintechs make their own approval decisions. Having your documents in order maximizes your odds but never guarantees approval, particularly for brand-new companies with no revenue or in higher-risk industries. We set realistic expectations rather than overpromise.

• Fully-online applications available for many non-US founders
• Mercury, Wise, and Relay are the common founder-friendly options
• Have your formation documents, EIN letter, and passport ready
• Approval is at the bank's discretion — we maximize your chances, not guarantee them

Form 5472 — a reporting note for foreign-owned single-member LLCs

If you're a non-US person who owns a US single-member LLC, there's one filing you should know about. A foreign-owned single-member LLC that is treated as a disregarded entity is generally required to file Form 5472 (attached to a pro-forma Form 1120) each year to report certain transactions between you and the company — for example, money you put in or take out.

This is an information report, not necessarily a tax bill: a single-member LLC with no US-source income and no US trade or business often owes no US federal income tax at all. But the 5472 filing itself is mandatory when it applies, and the penalties for missing it are steep, so it should not be ignored.

We are not a law firm or a tax-preparation service and this is general information, not tax advice. We flag the requirement so it's on your radar and can point you toward a qualified cross-border accountant to handle the actual filing for your situation.

Choosing a state: Wyoming and New Mexico defaults

If you don't have a physical presence in a particular US state, you're free to choose where to form — and for most remote and non-US founders that comes down to two defaults. Wyoming is the most popular: low fees, strong owner privacy, no state income tax, and famously business-friendly LLC law. New Mexico is the minimalist choice, with the lowest lifetime cost and no annual report to file.

Delaware gets a lot of attention, but it's mainly worth its higher franchise tax if you plan to raise venture capital with US investors. If you'll actually operate from a specific US state, forming there (or foreign-qualifying into it) is usually the cleaner path. There is no single right answer — the best state depends on your business, not a blanket rule.

• Wyoming — low fees, strong privacy, no state income tax, the common default
• New Mexico — lowest lifetime cost and no annual report
• Delaware — mainly for startups raising US venture capital
• If you operate in a specific state, forming or qualifying there is often simpler